Scavenging, fuel humidifying, and volatilizing process and apparatus for internal-combustion engines



1 927. 1,626,335 J. P. FARNHAM SCAVENGING, FUEL HUMIDIFYING, AND VQLATILIZING PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENWINES Filed Avril 2a. 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 1 jam ea 1 Fan/2km J. P. FARNHAM SCAVENGING, FUEL HUMIDIFYING, AND VOLATILIZING PROCESS ,r- 'April 26, 1927.

AND APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed April 26. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 20555: V Ewin 5Q [7? van 20/" la/r160 f Fawn/1am w/lzz April 26,1927. 1,626,335

' J. P. FARNHAM SCAVENGING, FUEL HUMIDIFYING, AND VOLATILIZING PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Avril 26. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 1927. 1,626,335 Apnl J. P. FARNHAM SCAVENGING, FUEL HUMIDIFYING, AND VOLATILIZING PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES v Filed Anril 26. 1925 5 Sheats-Sheerm In menial: hmeJP/Zzrnkam,

Patented Apr. 6, 1927.

spectively to prevent compressed gasses in UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

James P. FABNHA or NEW xonx, m

scavnnemd, FUEL nnmrnrrxme, AND jvona'rimzmo rn'ocnss AND mums non mrnannn-comsus'rrou enemas.

Application filed April 26, 1923. Serial No. 634,915.

This invention relates to humidifying and scavenging processes and devices for the gases in the cylinders of internal combustion engines, though it is noted that the invention is not limited to humidifiers, nor .to scavengers, nor in some respects even to internal combustion engines.

One object of the'invention is to provide a process and apparatus or device of this Other objects of the invention are to im-' prove generally thesimplicity and efliciency of such process and devices and to provide devices or apparatus of these kinds which are durable, economical to manufacture and operate.

The inventive features for the accomplishment of these and other objects areshown in connection with one or both of two' scavenging apparatus one of which, briefly stated, comprises a boiler heated by a shuntpipe passing from 'a mid part of the exhaust. manifold of the engine through the lower partof the boiler and then to the discharge end part of the manifold, whereby water in the boiler is boiled. A steam pipe leading from the boiler to the exhaust manifold, where said steam is superheated, and then to a rotary distributing valve, thence todistributing pipes conducting steam to the heads of the respective cylinders. valve 1s adapted for admitting" steam to the respective cylinders at the latter part of the exhaust stroke and beginning of the intake stroke or at other periods of the cycle. Also there are provided check valves establishin communication between the cylinder heats -'and the distributing pipes re- Said the cylinder from being forced back into the distributing pipes.

In the other form of the invention, control valves are provided which combine the functions of the above mentioned rotary valve and check valves.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds; and while herein details of the invention are described, the invention is not limited to these, since many and various changes may be made -Without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed. 1 I In the accompanying drawing, showing by way of example, two of many possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing one 4 form of the apparatus applied to'a multicylinder engine. Fig. 2 is afragmental' side elevation of the rotary valve.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, taken-on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, lookingin thedirection ofthe arrow of said line.

Fig. 4 is a'diagram showing the. timerelations of the piston position, intake and exhaust valve openings, steamadmission and cylinder pressures.

Fig. 5 is a vertlcal axial sectional View,

partly in elevation,-showing the valve and partly valve;

, Fig. 13 shows a sectiontaken on the hue in elevation, showing the control Fig. 12 is a vertical axial sectional view,

13'13 of Fig. 12 looking in the direction of the arrow of said line; and

Fig. 14 is a diagram showing the time relations between piston position, cylmder pressure, steam admission and valve openings.

The apparatus of Figs. 1 to It) is shown in combination with a multicylinder fourcycle internal combustion engine of an automobile, though the invention is not so limited, said engine having an exhaust manifold 11 extending longitudinally rearwardly' of the cylinders, and then downwardly as at 12. A ,valved shunt heating pipe 15 passing from the mid part of the manifold 11,

thence through the lower part of the boiler 16 and then to the downwardly extending part 12 of the manifold, whereby water in the boiler is heated and boiled by the heat .f f'om the exhaust gases passing through the shunt pipe.

A reservoir tank 18 supplies water through a valvedipipe 19 to a usual form of float chamber 20' which inturn supplies water through a pipe 21 to the lower part of the boiler. This chamber I is provided with a float (not .shown) for maintaining the water level in the boiler.

, the boiler.

A steam pipe 23 leading from the upper point of the boiler is coiled several times around the manifold as at 24, and then ex- .tending to the interior .of the manifold is there formed into a plurality of heat receiving coils 25, and then extends longitudinally, as at 26, to and through the forward end of the manifold and thence rearwardly and downwardly, as at 27, to a rotary distrib-g uting valve 30. Said steam pipe receives "heat from the exhaust'manifold, thereby to superheat and dry the steam coming from The distributing valve comprises a lower block 31 (Fig. 3) bolted to a flange 32 of the engine casing and having an upwardly opening longitudinally disposed semi-cylindrical valve-receiving bearmg recess 33. The block 31 is provided with a longitudinal steam receiving passage 35, near'the lower part of the outer side of the block, for receiving said steam pipe, and a longitudinal channel 36 or 'a plurality of radial bores for establishing communication between said passage. 35 and said recess 33. A lurality of tapped transverse passages 36 1s disposed along the lower part of the is provided lish communication between said transverse passage 36 and any number of said vertical passages. 37, depending upon how far in-or 73?? out the rod is adjusted.

- A rotary cylindrical valve member 43' is ed in said recess 33 and at the ends d-"with lateral retaining flangesto prevent endwise movement. 3&1 face there are a plurality of connecting channels 45. (Fig. 3 corresponding to the respective cylinders of the engine and positioned respectively at equal angles around said valve member. Each channel 45 is registerable with one series only of the respective series of vertical passages 37, 38 and is of such a length that the connecting channel will just bridge and establish communication between the longitudinal channel 36 and the most distant vertical passage 38 of each series. Intermeshing gears 47, 48 (Fig. 2), adjustably' secured fast on the cam shaft 49 of the engine and the end of the. rotary valve member 43 rotate the latter.

and fixed at any desired angle on the cam shaft, and said gears and connecting passages are so'relatively positioned that the connecting passages establish communication between the steam pipe and the respective distributing pipes and latter part of the exhaust and the beginning of the intake stroke. The adjustment of the gears relative to each other, and the adjustment of the threaded rods in their passages permitting variation of ,both the opening and close the respective distributing 1 es. j y p An upper block 50 (Fig. 3) disposed upon the lower block is provided with a longitudinal downwardly opening semi-cylindrical recess 51 fitting upon said valve member 43 and is provided at the lowerfedge of the recess 51 with atongue 52 engaged in ast pgroove 53 of the lower block to form a steam tight joint therewith. Vertical "bolts. 55 passing between said passages 36 and through said flange 32 and saidblocks 31 and 50 near the side edges thereof hold the distributing valve on the flange. Springs 56 are compressed between the nuts 57 and said upper block 50, whereby the blocks and *valve member 43 are held in yieldable steam tight connection, thereby to permit expansionof the parts when theyare heated and to compensate for wear.

Distributing pipes 60.-(Figs. 1, 3 and 5) extending from the inner ends of said trans verse passages to near the upper part of the respective cylinders have enlarged heads 61 at their discharge ends whereby, as will presently appear, are attached check valves 63 communicating with the upper end of the cylinders respectively. Each check valve comprises a lower ferrule 64 (Fig. 5) having a threaded reduced lower end 65 screwed into a tapped opening in the cylinder head, and an upper interiorly threaded recess receiving the lower end of a cylindrical body 66 provided with a large axial'bore 67, and enlarged upper and lower chambers 68 and 69', the lower chamber having an. upwardly tapering conical valve seat 70 joining said bore 67. An upper ferrule 71' screwed on The gear 47 may be rotatably adjusted cylinders at the 4 Gil . the upper end of said body is provided with the upper part engaging said head 61 to hold the head in place.

A vertically movable valve member disposed in said valve body comprises a lower conical head (Fig. 7) adapted when the valve member is-raisedto close against said seat, an intermediate valve stem. 76 of triangular cross section disposed in said axial bore and permitting passage of steam between the walls of said bore and the flat faces of the stem, and a spring retaining head 77 at the upper end of said stem. A spring 88 compressed between said retaining head 77 and the lower wall of the upper chamber 68 yieldably holds said valve head closed on said seat (as in Fig. 7) and ermits Steam forced from the distributing pipes 60 to force open the valve (as in Fig. 5) and to pass into the cylinder. Obviously the valves are normal-, ly closed and prevent compressed gases in the cylinders from being forced backinto the distributing pipes 60.-

'A'safety valve 90(Fig. 1) is'dispo's'ed on the upper part of the boiler-to prevent too high a pressure therein.- Apressure gauge 91 mounted on the instrument board 92' of the automobile'is connected by a pressure pipe 93 with theupper part of the boiler, whereby the pressure of the steam in the boiler may be read by the driver; and an equalizing pipe 94 between said pressure .pipe

7 and theupper part of the reservoir 18 equal-.-

ize the pressure between the upper part of the reservoir andthe upper part of the boiler, thereby to prevent the pressure of the steam in the boiler from forcing'the water ing the compression stroke the intake valve from the boiler back intothe reservoir;

The. operation of the apparatus of Figs. 1 'to 3 is simple and obvious and is explained below in connection with the diagram of 4 showing one complete cycle of a four cycle engine piston, the two upper curved lines 100. and 101 representing piston positions and cylinder pressure respectively, while the horizontal line 103 represents absolute zero pressure. The vertical dotted lines 105, 106, 108 and 109 represents the instants at the ends of the exhaust stroke, in take strnke, compression stroke and power stroke.

Steam pressure in the boiler is maintained above atmospheric pressure and is representrepresent the duration of the'intakeand exhaus't opening. The area 117 represents the steam admission,

During the close of the compression stroke (Fig.7 and line 77 of Fig. 4) the rotary valve 30, thecheck valve 63, the intake valve 118 and the exhaust valve 119 are all closed, which condition continues to the end of the compression stroke (Fig. 8 and line 8 8)., whereupon ignition and explosion take place, the cylinder pressure goes up and the power stroke commences. Toward the close of the power stroke, the exhaust valve opens (Fig. 9) as shown by the intersection of the area 116 and the line 109. This condition -continues (Fig. 10) until near the close of the exhaust stroke whereupon the connecting passage 45 (Fig. 3) bridges and establishes communication between the passage 35 and the nearest open vertical passage 38, whereby steam -.is admitted under boiler pressure into the exhausting cylinder, as indicated by the left hand end of the shaded area-1 17, thus displacing the exhaust gases and thoroughly scavenging the cylinder before ..the commencement of intake.

At the close of the exhaust stroke, indicated byline and Fig. 5, the exhaust closes, as indicated by the right hand end of the area 116, the rotary valve still being open for a While at the commencement of the intake stroke to admit steam into the cylinder duringsuction, for humidifying, volatilizing and increasing the-efliciency of the fuel mixture. As shown, the steam admissionmay continue until the fuel intake commences, as shown by the overlappingof the areas 117 and 115. When the rear end of the connect- "1 ing passage i5 teaches and passes the position of Fig. 3, steam admission ceases, as shown by the right hand end of the area. 117. As is usual,'the intake-is open ashort While at the beginning of the compression stroke (Fig. 6), as shown by the intersection of the area 115 with the line 106; Dur- 1 1 gas pressures without any mechanical connection with the moving parts of the engine. This device is shown, as in Fig. 1, in 'connection with a multi-cylinder internal com: bustion engine 10 having an' exhaust'mani fold 11- with down-turned end 12. The 1 shunt pipe 15, boiler 16, a reservoir tank 18 and a ,float chamber 20 are as in Fig. ,1; but

the steam pipe 123 leading from the upper part of the boiler and around the manifold,

as at 124, whereby saidsteam is superheated, passes upwardly, and then hori'zontally, as i at 126, through the valve 127 to a vertically disposed cylindrical ,d' tributing head 129 receiving the steam pipe through its top wall.

1 The distributing pipes 130' extending from the upper ends of the cylinders respectively and the discharge ends. of the dstributing pipes 130 at times permitting steam to be forced from the distributing pipes into the cylinder and preventing compressed gases in the cylinder from being forced back into the distributing pipes, as will be explained.

Each control valve comprises a lower ferrule 134' (Fig. 12) havin a threaded reduced lower end 135 screwe into. one of said interiorly threaded ends 132. A cylindrical body 136 is screwed into the upper part. of said ferrule and provided with a large axial bore 137 (Fig. 13) and enlarged upper and lower chambers 138. and 139 (Fig. 12), the chambers having conical valve, seats 140 and 141 tapering toward and joining said bore. An uppercap' 142 screwed on the'upper end of said body 136 is provided with an upwardly pointing exteriorly threaded extension 143 receiving an interlorly threadedelbow pipe 144 and joined by means of a threaded collar 145 to a connecting pipe 147'screwed into a tapped opening in the head of the adjacent cylinder and abutting the end of said elbow.

I 158 of the stem.

A vertically movable valve member disposed in said valve body comprises upperand lower conical heads 155 and 157 adapted respectively when the valve member is lowered orraised to close against the seats 140 and 141. Said heads are connected by an intermediate valve stem 156 of triangular cross section (Fig. 13) disposed in said axial bore and permitting passage of steam between the walls of said bore and the flat faces The operation of thedevice of Figs. 1 1

. to 13 is explained below in connection with the diagram of Fig. 14 showing one complete cycle of an engine piston, the two upper curved lines 200 and 201 and the next to the bottom line 202 representing piston position, cylinder pressure and controlvalve position respectively, while the horizontal solid line 203 represents absolute zero pressure. v The vertical dotted lines 205, 206, 208 and 209 represent the instants at the end of the exhaust stroke, intake stroke, compression stroke and power stroke.

Steam pressure in the boiler is maintained at about 17 pounds above absolute zero and is represented by the line 212 and is sufliciently high to be at timesequal to the interior cylinder pressure 201, as shown at the intersections of the lines 201 an 212 as indicated by the vertical lines 213 and 214; p The shaded areas 215 and 216 respectively represent the duration of the intake and exhaust opening. The areas 217 and 218 repareas 219 and 220 represent control valve 4 valve 118 and the exhaustv valve 119 are also in closed position, which condition continues to the end of the compression stroke (line 208) whereupon ignition and explosion take place, the pressure (line 201) goes up and the power stroke commences. Toward the close of the'power stroke, the exhaust valve opens as shpwn by the intersection of the area 216 arid the line 209. This condition continues until the cylinder pressure becomes so low that the exhaust gas pressure onthe head 155 and the weight. of the valve member become less than the steam pressure,

whereupon the head 155 rises, as shown by the upward slant 2210f the line 2-2, thus -opening the valve 133 as indicated by the area 220, establishing communication 'between the steam pipe 130 and the cylinder, whereby steam is admitted under boiler pressure into the exhausting cylinder, as 1ndicated by the shaded area 217, thus displacing the exhaust gases and thoroughly scavenging the cylinder before the commencement of intake.

At the close of the exhaust stroke, .indicated by line 205, the exhaust valve closes,

as, indicated by the right hand end of the this time the head 155 has area 216 and by risen until the head 157 closeson the seat 141 (Fig. 12) closing the valve, as shown by'the right hand, end of area 220and steam admission ceases, as shown b the right hand end of the area 217. The intake opens a short while after thebeginning of the intake stroke (line 205), as shown by the left hand end of the area 215. During the intakestroke the cylinder pressure at first decreases and then rises until the cylinder pressure 201 equals the steampressure 212 as shown by theintersectionoi lines 201 and 212 at line 213. Just before this instant. (line 213) is reached, the weight of the valve member and the cylinder pressure together become greater than the steam pressure, and the valve member falls as shown by the abrupt slant 222 of the line 202, and thevalve 133 opens for an instant as shown by the area 219. As the cylinder pressure is here so nearly equal. to the steam pressure, the amount of steam admission is very small, as shown by the smallarea 218.

erever' an engine cylinder is claimed herein, itis understood that the term L15 steam supply ipe;

' duct' broad enough to cover any equivalent device.

I claim as my invention: 1. In coz'nbination a multicylinder internal combustion engine having an exhaust manifold extending longitudinally rearwardly of the cylinders and then downwardly; a boiler beneath the manifold; a valve d shunt heating pipe. passing from the mid part of the manifold, thence through t e-lower. part of the boiler and then to the downwardly bent part ofthe manifold, -whereby water in the boiler is heated and boiled by the heat from the exhaust gases passing through the shunt pipe; a raised reservoir tank forsupplying water to the boiler; a distributing valve. receiving the steam from the boiler; and. distributing pipes conductingsteam frofn the distribut- 'ing valve to the cylinders.

2. In combination, a multicylinder internal combustion engine having fuel feed means and-an exhaust manifold; a boiler; a steam pipe leading from the upper point of the boiler and coiled several times around the manifold and then extending to the interiorof the manifold and there formed into a plurality of heat receiving coils and then extending to and through the forward endof. the manifold and thence rearwardly and downwardly to nearthe exhaust valve of the engine whereby said steam pipe receives heat from the exhaust manifold,ther'by tosuperheat and dry' the steam coming from the boiler; a distributing valve receiving the 5 steam from the boiler; and distributing pipes separate from the fuel feed means for con- 1 ducting steamirom the distributing valve to the cylinders.

3. In combination, an internal combustion engine having an exhaust manifold; aboiler; a distributing valve comprising a block having a sem -cylindrical recess; a longitudinal steam receiving passage near one side of the block in communication with said recess, a plurality of transverse distributing passages communicating with the recess; a rotary cylindrical valve member dispmed in' said recess and provided wlth a plurality of connecting channels positioned res ec 'vely at different distances around sai v ve member adapted to connect said receiving passages with said respective transverse passages; a steam pipe leading from the boiler to the receiving pipe; and distributing pipes conducting steam from the transverse assa'ges to the heads of the cylinder.

4. combination, a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine; means for introducing fuel into gthe cylinders; a single -a rotary-distributing valve rece1ving steam from said .single supply'pipe; distributing pipes consteam from the distributing valve to the eadsof the cylinder separately from said fuel; said valve admitting steam to the steam from said chamber during the latter part of the intake stroke and the first part respective cylinders at the latter part of the exhaust stroke and beginning of the. intake stroke and holding the steam against adm1ss1on during the latter part of the intake stroke and .the beginning of the exhaust stroke. i

5. The combination with an internalcom bustion engine, of means 'for generating steam, and .means cooperatin between the steam generating means and t e engine cyl- .75 inder for supplying steam to the cylinder during the latter part of the exhaust stroke and the first part of the intake stroke of the cylinder piston and withholding steam from the cylinder during the latterpart of the intake stroke and the first part of the exhaust stroke.

6. The combination. with an internal combustion engine, of means for generating steam, and means cooperating between the steam generating means and the engine cylinder and successively operated by pressure of steam from said generating means and by pressure'in the c linder for supplying steam to the cylinder urin the latter part of the exhaust stroke and the first part pf the in take ,stroke of the cylinder piston and with.- holding steam from the cylinder during the latter part of the intake stroke and the first part of the exhaust stroke.

7. The combination with a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine,' of meansfor generating s am, means for suppl ing fuel tothe combustion chamber-of; eac of the engine cylinders, and meansindepend'ent of said fuel, supplying means and cooperating between the steam generating means and the combustion chamber of each of the cylinders forsupplyin'g steam tosaid chamber durin the latter part-of "the exhaust stroke and e first part of the intake strokeof the cylinder piston and withholding steam from said chamber during the latterrpart of the intake stroke and the firstpart ofthe exhaust stroke.. 8. The combination with a multiple cylmder engine, of means for generating steam, means for supplying-fuel to the combustion chamber of each ofthe en e cylinders and I means independent ,of said fuel supplying. means and cooperating between the steam V geperatinglmeans and the combustion chamber of eac of the cylinders and successively operated by pressure of'steam from said generatin means and by pressure in the, 120 chamber %or supplying steam to said-chamber during the latter part of the exhaust stroke and the first part of the intake stroke of the cylinder piston and withholding of the exhaust stroke. 7

9. The combination with 'a multiple jcylinder internal combust' engine, of steam generating means, pipes. fog distributing i during the latter part of the intake stroke' and the first part of the exhaust stroke and steam from said. generating means, and means'coopera'ting between said pipes and the engine cylinders for supplying steam from said pipes to the cylinders during the latter part or" the exhaust stroke and the first part of the intake stroke of the cylinder'pistons and withholding steam fromthe cylinders of the engine cylinders for supplying steam.

from the pipe to the cylinder during the latter part of. the. exhaust stroke and the first;

part of the intake stroke of thecylinder piston and withholding steam from the cylinder during the-latter part of the intake cylinder.

stroke and the first part of the exhaust stroke and reventing passage from the cylinder into t e pipe, of gas compressed in the 11. The process of scavenging, fuelhumidifying and volatilizing which consists in introducing into the'cylinder'of an internal combustion engine steam of greater pressure than the compression of the piston durin -the latter part of the exhauststroke and t e first part of the intake stroke and reducing the pressure of the steam introduced into the cylinder so that it is less than the compression of the piston during the latter part of the intake stroke and the first part of the exhaust stroke and is thereby withheld from the cylinder.

12. In combination with a multiple c linder internal combustion engine, means br generatin steam spaced away from theengine and eated by the engine exhaust, and

valve meansoperatively connected to the steam generating means and adapted and operatively connected for supplying steam to each cylinder during the latter part of the exhaust stroke and beginning of the intake stroke and withholding supply of the steam therefrom during the latter part of the intake stroke and beginning of the exhaust stroke of the cylinder piston.

13. In combination with a multiple c'ylin-' der internal combustion engine, "means for; generatin steam spaced away from the en- 7 gine and eated by the engine exhaust, and

valve means spacedaway from the engine and'operatively connected to the steam generating means and adapted and operatively connected for supplying steam to the int-erior of the head of each cylinder durin the latter part of the exhaust stroke and beginning of the intake stroke-and withholding supply of the steam therefrom dur ing'the latter part of the intake stroke and beginning ofthe exhaust stroke of the cylinder piston. p 14. In combination with a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine, means for generating steam spaced away from the engine and heated by the engine exhaust, valve means adapted for supplying steam to each cylinder during the latter part of the exhaust stroke and beginning of the intake stroke and withholding supply of the steam therefrom duringthe latter part of the in- I take stroke" and beginning of the exhaust stroke of the" cylinder piston, means" for conveying steam from the generatingmeans to said valve means, and means cooperat- ,ing between said valve means and the head of each cylinder for conveying the steam from said valve means to the cylinder free from passage through the fuel intake means of the engine. I

15. In combination with a multiple cvl-- inder internal combustion engine, means fdr generatin steam spaced away from the engine and eated by the engine exhaust, valve means adapted for supplying steam to each cylinder during the latter part of the exhaust stroke and beginning .of the intake stroke and withholding the supply of the-- steam therefrom during the latter part of the intake stroke and beginnin of the exhaust stroke of the cylinder iston, means for conveying steam from t e. generating means to said valve means and'superheating the steam by heat from the engine exhaust during conveyance, andmeans coo eratin between said valve means and the ead 0 each cylinder for conveying,.;the steamfrom said valve means to the cylinder freefrom passage through the fuel intake means of the engine. v I 16. The process of scavenging, fuel-humidifying and volatilizing which consists in supplying fuel to theicpmbustion chamber of each of thebglinders otan ulti le cylinder mg the supplyvof steam therefrom durin llfi the latter tpart of the. -intake stroke-and beinning 0 the exhaust stroke of the cylinder iston, said steam beinggenerated prior to a mission to the cylinder.

17. The process of scavenging, fuel- .1 9 hpmidifying and volatilizing which consists' in supplying fuel to ,the combustion chamber of each of the cylinders of a'multiple cylinder "internal combustion engine, and supplying steam to the combustion chamber duringthe latter part of the ex haust stroke and beginning of, the intake stroke and withholdin the supply of steam therefrom during the atter part, of the intake stroke and beginning of the exhaust) stroke of the cylinder piston, said steam being generated prior to admission to the e linder, and being free from passage t rough the fuel intake means of the engine.

18. The process of scavenging, fuelhumidifying and volatilizing which consists in supplying fuel to the combustion chamber of each of the cylinders of a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine,

10 and supplying steam to the combustion chamber during the latter part of the exhaust stroke and beginning of the intake stroke and withholding the supply of steam therefrom during the latter part of the intake stroke and beginnin' of the exhaust stroke of the cylinder piston, said steam being generated and superheated prior to admission to the cylinder.

JAMES P. FARNHAM. 

